For those of us who have attended and/or hosted road meets over the years, we all know that different road meets attract different sizes of groups attending them. Whether you are hosting or attending a meet, do you have any preference as to how large or small the group is? Some folks are extroverts and may like it better when there are more people in attendance. Others are introverts (some with social anxiety perhaps) and enjoy attending road meets but might become overwhelmed if the group is too large. Some folks in our community may have no preference either way. Maybe your answer depends on whether you are attending or hosting; maybe it does not.
I'm just curious as to what thoughts everyone has on this topic. :)
I honestly enjoy the smaller meets in smaller towns because they are just more intimate. I enjoy catching up with people, but it's so hard to do when there are more than, say, 15 people at a meet. The logistics also becomes difficult the more attendees there are.
If a meet is happening in a large city and there are a lot of people attending, then I would hope that the host is prepared for that.
Roadwaywiz did a good job managing the nearly 40-person attendance in Buffalo, but I was unable to meet absolutely everyone. Saw a lot of people I had met before, and met others for the first time, though.
Been to a few smaller meets, too, one of which where people got lost on the tour, but we managed to regroup in the end, I think.
All in all, it comes down to the host's managing ability and the informal assistance they may get from attendees. A poorly organized meet is bad at any level.
Grateful to say that no meet has been a regretful experience, though, for me.
Feel bad for that one guy some years ago, where some noob organized a meet, canceled at the last minute, and the guy was already on a multi-day trip to attend...yeah, don't be that host...
I haven't been to a meet for a while because of health reasons, but the last one was a bit too big for me. I would prefer a smaller one due to social anxiety.
Quote from: codyg1985 on August 27, 2023, 08:16:45 PM
I honestly enjoy the smaller meets in smaller towns because they are just more intimate. I enjoy catching up with people, but it's so hard to do when there are more than, say, 15 people at a meet. The logistics also becomes difficult the more attendees there are.
Yeah, I think I am in agreement on this though I cannot think of a huge meet that I have been too with major logistics issues. (since I was not at St. Louis)
It's certainly easier on the host to have a smaller meet. There are more logistics involved in keeping the group together, particularly if you are trying to explore areas that aren't built for a bunch of roadgeeks to safely park and explore. Lining up dining options also gets more difficult with a larger group.
I certainly wouldn't discourage hosting a larger meet, particularly if the host has a history of well-produced meets. What I would encourage is to make sure to be prepared with solid maps & written directions, make an effort to locate and be inclusive to new folks who haven't been to a road meet, and plan out the tour carefully to ensure that everyone can have a good time. Having an assistant to help with planning and making sure the day runs smoothly is also a good idea.
Smaller is almost always better. The best meets I have been to all had under 20 attendees, with the best being small enough to fit in 2-3 cars, even if we didn't always consolidate that much. I hate large meets, just like I hate large social functions in general. Smaller allows for more spontaneity and chances to interact with people. With a small meet, you can add unplanned stops or tweak stuff to best meet the desires of attendees.
Do some people like large events with everyone? Sure. But you can do far more interesting things with a smaller group and don't need to stick to a rigid structure. A 4-person event doesn't discourage me. A 30-person event actually might.
Ten or less feels like the sweet spot to me. Usually everyone can easily stay together with handful of cars and parking tends to be way easier.
I tend to feel overwhelmed with more than 15 attendees, especially if I don't already know many of them. Name tags would help, with people I kind of recognize but am not sure, such as when I'm having a "senior moment" which happens even with large family gatherings.
It would help if I more often remembered to bring my own name tag, like the one I recycled from the 2018 Golden Spike meet for the completion of I-95.
Quote from: oscar on August 27, 2023, 10:26:22 PM
I tend to feel overwhelmed with more than 15 attendees, especially if I don't already know many of them. Name tags would help, with people I kind of recognize but am not sure, such as when I'm having a "senior moment" which happens even with large family gatherings.
It would help if I more often remembered to bring my own name tag, like the one I recycled from the 2018 Golden Spike meet for the completion of I-95.
Name tags would have been a great idea in Buffalo.
I like smaller crowds at road meets (granted that I've only been to two)...
my ideal road meet size is roughly 34 people.
Small versus large really doesn't matter to me as much. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some meets can be so small (i.e. fitting into one vehicle) that you are wondering why more didn't come. Then, at larger meets, you don't meet everyone, and there can be logistic issues.
The logistic issues, I think, could be solved with better directions between stops. I've been to large meets where there's barely any directions whatsoever (St Louis 2014 comes to mind), and ones where there's a novel to try to get through to figure out how to get from place to place. Detailed bullet point directions seem to be best, especially with maps only covering the route between point A and point B.
Overall it does not matter to me, large or small, I am glad however that Steph was able to "co-host" my larger road meets with me in central Pennsylvania, good example the one I hosted near Sunbury in 2018 was my largest in terms of turn out at nearly 30, we had a room to ourselves at the restaurant and only one minor hiccup when we all stopped to check out the stub end at the Selinsgrove by-pass and I had an older couple follow us to where we stopped and they asked me "where is the road??" as for smaller meets yes, they are easier to manage, and you can socialize with everyone but like Brandon said if it looks like you are going to have a large turnout (15 or more) then make sure to have good directions on your tour print out. ;-)
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
I've hosted both kinds. Around 20 people at my Tri-State meet in 2013 (KY-OH-WV) and five people at my 2017 western Kentucky meet. I didn't have any major issues at either one. Planning is the key; we had to scramble to find a restaurant at the Youngstown meet several years ago when the host hadn't done his homework and we learned upon gathering in the restaurant parking lot that they weren't open for lunch on Saturdays.
Quote from: Alps on August 27, 2023, 11:09:48 PM
my ideal road meet size is roughly 34 people.
That's oddly specific. LOL
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on August 28, 2023, 12:44:44 PM
Quote from: Alps on August 27, 2023, 11:09:48 PM
my ideal road meet size is roughly 34 people.
That's oddly specific. LOL
I think that was the size of his Baltimore road meet in April 2010, Steph, myself and our nephew were at that one
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2023, 04:21:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
I did two weeks prior to the meet. Google ended up erasing most of them when I clicked on the map links. Basically almost all of the directions got streamlined into simply point A-B.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 04:33:49 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2023, 04:21:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
I did two weeks prior to the meet. Google ended up erasing most of them when I clicked on the map links. Basically almost all of the directions got streamlined into simply point A-B.
And even if the points stay, Google recalculates the route between them each time, so if traffic or the algorithm changes, so can the route.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 04:33:49 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2023, 04:21:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
I did two weeks prior to the meet. Google ended up erasing most of them when I clicked on the map links. Basically almost all of the directions got streamlined into simply point A-B.
I take an image of the Google Map and paste it into a Word document. That way, Google can't screw up the map.
Quote from: Brandon on August 28, 2023, 08:28:07 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 04:33:49 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2023, 04:21:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
I did two weeks prior to the meet. Google ended up erasing most of them when I clicked on the map links. Basically almost all of the directions got streamlined into simply point A-B.
I take an image of the Google Map and paste it into a Word document. That way, Google can't screw up the map.
Trouble there is that you can't tap links from a Word document. Fresno wasn't the kind of meet that required a bunch of printouts. I might do them for Bakersfield next year given some of the non-state highways involved.
Quote from: vdeane on August 28, 2023, 08:26:04 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 04:33:49 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2023, 04:21:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
I did two weeks prior to the meet. Google ended up erasing most of them when I clicked on the map links. Basically almost all of the directions got streamlined into simply point A-B.
And even if the points stay, Google recalculates the route between them each time, so if traffic or the algorithm changes, so can the route.
The solution is more via points.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 08:39:33 PM
Quote from: Brandon on August 28, 2023, 08:28:07 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 04:33:49 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2023, 04:21:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
I did two weeks prior to the meet. Google ended up erasing most of them when I clicked on the map links. Basically almost all of the directions got streamlined into simply point A-B.
I take an image of the Google Map and paste it into a Word document. That way, Google can't screw up the map.
Trouble there is that you can't tap links from a Word document. Fresno wasn't the kind of meet that required a bunch of printouts. I might do them for Bakersfield next year given some of the non-state highways involved.
Were you clicking on the links on a phone, perhaps? I do know that mobile Google Maps doesn't support via points and will always strip them out.
Quote from: vdeane on August 28, 2023, 08:59:41 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 08:39:33 PM
Quote from: Brandon on August 28, 2023, 08:28:07 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 04:33:49 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2023, 04:21:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
I did two weeks prior to the meet. Google ended up erasing most of them when I clicked on the map links. Basically almost all of the directions got streamlined into simply point A-B.
I take an image of the Google Map and paste it into a Word document. That way, Google can't screw up the map.
Trouble there is that you can't tap links from a Word document. Fresno wasn't the kind of meet that required a bunch of printouts. I might do them for Bakersfield next year given some of the non-state highways involved.
Were you clicking on the links on a phone, perhaps? I do know that mobile Google Maps doesn't support via points and will always strip them out.
That might have been what the problem was with the original set. When I tried the refreshed links in a browser version of Google Maps they worked as intended. I don't recall but I believe that I even spoke regarding that at the meetup location.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 09:03:21 PM
Quote from: vdeane on August 28, 2023, 08:59:41 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 08:39:33 PM
Quote from: Brandon on August 28, 2023, 08:28:07 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 04:33:49 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2023, 04:21:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 07:59:20 AM
I experimented with map links in Fresno last year. The trouble I found was that what you program in tends to get changed by Google. I caught it before the meet started but I don't think it would work well in a larger group than what we had (given I gave out my phone in case anyone got turned around also).
Use via points to prevent Google from messing with the route.
I did two weeks prior to the meet. Google ended up erasing most of them when I clicked on the map links. Basically almost all of the directions got streamlined into simply point A-B.
I take an image of the Google Map and paste it into a Word document. That way, Google can't screw up the map.
Trouble there is that you can't tap links from a Word document. Fresno wasn't the kind of meet that required a bunch of printouts. I might do them for Bakersfield next year given some of the non-state highways involved.
Were you clicking on the links on a phone, perhaps? I do know that mobile Google Maps doesn't support via points and will always strip them out.
That might have been what the problem was with the original set. When I tried the refreshed links in a browser version of Google Maps they worked as intended. I don't recall but I believe that I even spoke regarding that at the meetup location.
The answer is using more destinations. ::D
Eh, just bulleted directions printed out will do.
I'm kind of surprised some of you guys haven't commented on me giving out my phone number. I was sure that would at least generate an opinion or two.
Quote from: jpi on August 28, 2023, 04:00:35 PM
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on August 28, 2023, 12:44:44 PM
Quote from: Alps on August 27, 2023, 11:09:48 PM
my ideal road meet size is roughly 34 people.
That's oddly specific. LOL
I think that was the size of his Baltimore road meet in April 2010, Steph, myself and our nephew were at that one
Yes, and I like hosting large meets.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 09:19:27 PM
I'm kind of surprised some of you guys haven't commented on me giving out my phone number. I was sure that would at least generate an opinion or two.
A lot of us in this community have become pretty good friends. Along those lines, we have exchanged phone numbers often.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 09:19:27 PM
I'm kind of surprised some of you guys haven't commented on me giving out my phone number. I was sure that would at least generate an opinion or two.
I always give out my phone number at meets I'm hosting, out of courtesy in case anyone needs to contact me for any reason.
Regarding meet attendance, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Meets are still (25 years later) the premiere in-person events our community has to offer. We should want them to be as large and as successful as possible.
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 29, 2023, 11:07:27 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 09:19:27 PM
I’m kind of surprised some of you guys haven’t commented on me giving out my phone number. I was sure that would at least generate an opinion or two.
I always give out my phone number at meets I'm hosting, out of courtesy in case anyone needs to contact me for any reason.
Regarding meet attendance, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Meets are still (25 years later) the premiere in-person events our community has to offer. We should want them to be as large and as successful as possible.
This coming from the guy who has hosted the biggest road meet to date in terms of attendance! ;-)
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 29, 2023, 11:07:27 AM
Regarding meet attendance, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Meets are still (25 years later) the premiere in-person events our community has to offer. We should want them to be as large and as successful as possible.
Some people definitely have the mindset of, "the more the merrier" which is cool... but some don't, and that's okay too. Some of the folks who have chimed in on this thread so far clearly are turned off by larger groups. I think we all need to understand that some roads enthusiasts are introverted and some may have social anxiety. Some newbies to this hobby/community might be interested in attending a road meet for the first time but might be overwhelmed by the idea of getting lost in a crowd of people that they are meeting for the first time. Heck... I remember the first road meet I attended back in 2004. It was a fairly small group which I appreciated, because it gave me the opportunity to get to know them and feel like I could contribute to the conversation without worrying about getting lost or forgotten.
Also, we should keep in mind that this is simply a hobby for most of us here... intended to be fun and enjoyable. The idea of telling others what they should want for their hobby doesn't make much sense, because everyone's opinion matters... not just those of the small group of folks who host meets. Some hosts aim to plan meets for large groups of people, and that's awesome... as long as they are aware that some folks in our community might be turned off by the idea. But on the other hand, some hosts might prefer the groups to be smaller and, perhaps, easier to manage.
Just because a meet attracts a large group of people doesn't automatically make it a success. I've attended some meets with large groups that were organized/planned very well and were quite enjoyable, but on the other hand, some of the meets I've attended with large groups were NOT organized well at all and weren't very fun because of that. Honestly, some of my favorite meets from over the years are the ones that had less than, say, a dozen attendees...more intimate and easier connect with others.
We definitely want all of our meets to be successful, whether we are attending or hosting them. But the size of the group isn't, or shouldn't necessarily be, a factor in how successful the meets are. A few of the major factors of success, I would say, are how organized and fun they are, and what kinds of connections the attendees make with everyone else. Some folks may think larger groups do a better job of facilitating that kind of success than smaller groups, but others may disagree with that which is an equally valid perspective. I just want to make sure we're not turning off folks who are interested in attending road meets but would feel more comfortable in smaller groups. Not everyone is drawn to big crowds.
I appreciate everyone who has chimed in so far on my question. It's a topic I've been thinking about over the past couple months as I'm getting ready to plan my Charlotte city meet next year.
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 29, 2023, 11:07:27 AM
Regarding meet attendance, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Meets are still (25 years later) the premiere in-person events our community has to offer. We should want them to be as large and as successful as possible.
To a point. As with many things, larger groups can become unwieldy. And even with the best of planning, events can conspire against a large gathering that would have a much smaller impact on a smaller gathering. Anyone who was at a certain SEPA meet in 2010 knows one example of what I'm talking about.
Large groups can also be a problem with urban elements of a road meet where parking is at a premium. I've personally experienced this with meets in both DC and Minneapolis. Even with carpooling...if you have 30-some people attending, you're still going to have a lot of vehicles. That said, AJ's "city meet" method would be one way to mitigate this, as attendees could tour these elements at their own pace.
So, are we going to restrict meets to only a certain number of people, then? That doesn't seem right, either.
Quote from: Rothman on August 29, 2023, 10:32:57 PM
So, are we going to restrict meets to only a certain number of people, then? That doesn't seem right, either.
I don't think that's necessary. More that a meet doesn't need to be massive in order to be worth attending. It's up to the host to plan activities based on expected attendance. That includes the lunch location and making sure the meetup/carpool spot has plentiful, free, and safe parking.
Will Reno will be
far easier to do with 10 people than it would be with 30? Yes, just because some of the good places to visit have limited parking. And, well, a 10-car convoy driving on very low-traffic roads to see funny signs and old alignments would attract attention we may not want from both yokels and Barney Fife. All depends on the exact circumstances of the meet. I'm not gonna place an attendance cap, of course, but I'm not particularly worried about getting 20 people at a western meet.
Quote from: cl94 on August 30, 2023, 12:38:16 AM
a meet doesn't need to be massive in order to be worth attending.
This is exactly what I'm saying. Small meets can be just as enjoyable as massive meets.
Quote from: jpi on August 29, 2023, 12:58:35 PM
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 29, 2023, 11:07:27 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2023, 09:19:27 PM
I'm kind of surprised some of you guys haven't commented on me giving out my phone number. I was sure that would at least generate an opinion or two.
I always give out my phone number at meets I'm hosting, out of courtesy in case anyone needs to contact me for any reason.
Regarding meet attendance, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Meets are still (25 years later) the premiere in-person events our community has to offer. We should want them to be as large and as successful as possible.
This coming from the guy who has hosted the biggest road meet to date in terms of attendance! ;-)
Whatever accolades people want to throw my way, the thing I'm most proud of is the fact that between the three meets I've hosted, there have been about a dozen people (not including spouses of roadgeeks) who made their debut road meet appearance at one of my meets.
Meets are not only a chance to catch up with old friends, but they are also one of the best chances we get to attract newcomers and grow the community in an in-person fashion. As the "old guard" begins to become less involved in the community in the years ahead, I think it's going to be very important in the years ahead for us as a group to gradually attract new people and new ideas to these events so that they may be able to continue on for at least the next 25 years.
Yes, Meets are "for fun" , but they do not exist without the people who are willing to attend them. The fun that we have is the result of the work we've put in collectively over the years to make these things what they are. We should all want meets to be large and successful, because it gives these events more appeal in general and that *does* make a difference with potential newcomers. I like to think that I'm doing my part to create these kinds of events that will attract a wide variety of folks and I hope that more hosts out there realize that they too can be influential in this way and put together good events that reflect their passion and their commitment to seeing our community grow in the years to come.
Quote from: Rothman on August 29, 2023, 10:32:57 PM
So, are we going to restrict meets to only a certain number of people, then? That doesn't seem right, either.
The last meet I attended -- the abandoned PA Turnpike meet a few years ago -- had a hard-and-fast size limit because (IIRC) of the capacity of the van the host rented to transport everyone. Also, IIRC, he'd gotten a special dispensation from the conservancy that controls the old turnpike and the tunnels to operate a single vehicle on the road.
Outside of that, I don't know of any other meets that have had precise numerical limitations placed on the attendees. I can think of at least one meet that required something entirely different, however, that served to limit attendance.
Quote from: froggie on August 29, 2023, 10:26:43 PM
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 29, 2023, 11:07:27 AM
Regarding meet attendance, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Meets are still (25 years later) the premiere in-person events our community has to offer. We should want them to be as large and as successful as possible.
To a point. As with many things, larger groups can become unwieldy. And even with the best of planning, events can conspire against a large gathering that would have a much smaller impact on a smaller gathering. Anyone who was at a certain SEPA meet in 2010 knows one example of what I'm talking about.
Says the person who introduced the idea of written notes (2010 DC) so that people wouldn't get lost anymore. (: Best. Contribution. Ever.
Quote from: hbelkins on August 30, 2023, 01:30:43 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 29, 2023, 10:32:57 PM
So, are we going to restrict meets to only a certain number of people, then? That doesn't seem right, either.
The last meet I attended -- the abandoned PA Turnpike meet a few years ago -- had a hard-and-fast size limit because (IIRC) of the capacity of the van the host rented to transport everyone. Also, IIRC, he'd gotten a special dispensation from the conservancy that controls the old turnpike and the tunnels to operate a single vehicle on the road.
Outside of that, I don't know of any other meets that have had precise numerical limitations placed on the attendees. I can think of at least one meet that required something entirely different, however, that served to limit attendance.
Wearing masks to protect others from a deadly contagious disease, amirite?
I echo the consideration that once you get past 10-12 people it starts to become difficult to actually interact with everyone and by the time you get to 20, forget it.
Setting an attendance record does have its own appeal though. It is amazing the record from Baltimore stood for 13 years. Curious how long the new record from Buffalo will.
I do wonder what attendance will be like in New Orleans. The element of surprise is delicious.
Quote from: Rothman on August 30, 2023, 09:27:02 PM
I do wonder what attendance will be like in New Orleans. The element of surprise is delicious.
So are the beignets.
Quote from: Dougtone on August 30, 2023, 10:12:07 PM
Quote from: Rothman on August 30, 2023, 09:27:02 PM
I do wonder what attendance will be like in New Orleans. The element of surprise is delicious.
So are the beignets.
Oof. Not sure what I think of everyone cramming into Cafe du Monde.
Just to chime in here, I've been to meets of all sizes (As small as three and as large as the 39 at the aforementioned Buffalo meet). Attendance is not a deal breaker for me, but I do feel the larger meets take away from getting to meet and talk to other attendees, especially ones that you've never met in person. It didn't help that I had other obligations the same weekend as the Buffalo meet, and there were many in attendance that I hadn't met previously. Maybe I wouldn't have gotten to all of them, but I probably would've made a better effort to get to know some if I had more time.
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 30, 2023, 08:33:01 AM
Whatever accolades people want to throw my way, the thing I'm most proud of is the fact that between the three meets I've hosted, there have been about a dozen people (not including spouses of roadgeeks) who made their debut road meet appearance at one of my meets.
That is an amazing accomplishment, and you should be very proud of that. I think that's awesome. I would be curious, though... did any of those newbies give you any feedback after your meets about what they thought? Did all of them like the big crowd? Would any of them have felt more comfortable in a smaller group? I would wonder whether your meets are the only ones they would ever be interested in attending (if so, that's cool). Have they attended, or would they be interested at all in attending meets that anyone else might host? The answers to these questions don't matter to me much, but I'm just curious. Again... congratulations on your accomplishment!
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 30, 2023, 08:33:01 AM
Meets are not only a chance to catch up with old friends, but they are also one of the best chances we get to attract newcomers and grow the community in an in-person fashion. As the "old guard" begins to become less involved in the community in the years ahead, I think it's going to be very important in the years ahead for us as a group to gradually attract new people and new ideas to these events so that they may be able to continue on for at least the next 25 years.
I totally agree that we should be attracting new people to our hobby. But let's think of attracting folks who are interested in smaller groups AS WELL AS larger groups.
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 30, 2023, 08:33:01 AM
Yes, Meets are "for fun" , but they do not exist without the people who are willing to attend them.
Of course! No one is denying that.
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 30, 2023, 08:33:01 AM
We should all want meets to be large and successful, because it gives these events more appeal in general and that *does* make a difference with potential newcomers.
Again, I will say that "large" does not automatically mean "successful". The 2014 St. Louis meet is a great example of that. I would say the size of these events does make a difference with potential newcomers... to an extent. Potential newcomers who have social anxiety might be turned off by larger groups and might be more comfortable in smaller groups. All I'm saying is... let's think about the folks too who don't want to see massive events where they can potentially get lost in the crowd.
Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on August 30, 2023, 08:33:01 AM
I like to think that I'm doing my part to create these kinds of events that will attract a wide variety of folks and I hope that more hosts out there realize that they too can be influential in this way and put together good events that reflect their passion and their commitment to seeing our community grow in the years to come.
Absolutely. You've done an amazing job of bringing newcomers into this hobby! I think a large part of that has to do with your Roadwaywiz persona/branding that you've created online... through your YouTube channel, your Facebook presence, merchandise, etc. That's all fantastic. But let's also celebrate everyone else in our community who has hosted successful meets (big and small) that have also brought newcomers in. Small meets can be just as successful as large meets.
Makes me wonder if someday there'd be a "roadgeek convention" rather than tour meet. Not sure who we'd be able to get to speak...
Quote from: Rothman on August 31, 2023, 06:40:07 AM
Makes me wonder if someday there'd be a "roadgeek convention" rather than tour meet. Not sure who we'd be able to get to speak...
I know of one person for sure who would have no problems speaking, he is a big time toast master guy, talking about Steve "The Georgia Road geek" Williams. :nod:
Quote from: Duke87 on August 30, 2023, 09:10:55 PM
I echo the consideration that once you get past 10-12 people it starts to become difficult to actually interact with everyone and by the time you get to 20, forget it.
Setting an attendance record does have its own appeal though. It is amazing the record from Baltimore stood for 13 years. Curious how long the new record from Buffalo will.
I know my CSVT road meet in April 2018 came close to surpassing the Baltimore meet attendance record but big kudos to Dam for setting the new record. :bigass:
Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on August 27, 2023, 10:53:40 PM
I like smaller crowds at road meets (granted that I've only been to two)...
This is a fascinating position to have considering that you've only attended some of the largest gatherings on record. Day 2 of Philly would have been your small meet.
Quote from: Alps on August 30, 2023, 07:51:41 PM
Wearing masks to protect others from a deadly contagious disease, amirite?
Nope.
Quote from: jpi on August 31, 2023, 07:44:51 AM
Quote from: Rothman on August 31, 2023, 06:40:07 AM
Makes me wonder if someday there'd be a "roadgeek convention" rather than tour meet. Not sure who we'd be able to get to speak...
I know of one person for sure who would have no problems speaking, he is a big time toast master guy, talking about Steve "The Georgia Road geek" Williams. :nod:
I must commemorate Dam for providing hydroelectric power. (not my idea btw)
I think there's room for all shapes and sizes of meets in our community. There's pros and cons to large and small meets, and attendance is going to vary depending on geography, too!
Last year I hosted a 10 person meet in Lynchburg, VA and earlier this year a 20 person meet in Harford County, MD for the county's 250th anniversary celebration, and I greatly enjoyed both. I realize that my family of 3 roadgeeks means that we can meet up with one other person and it's a 4 person meet, lol. On the flip side, I loved Buffalo's almost 40 person meet because of the wide variety of folks all being together in one space. Everyone has their own perspective on the roads and bridges and sites and I love to be able to interact with a wide variety of people.
I know there's some crossover in this community with the Extra Miler Club. I've been to two of their annual meetings (2017 in Valley Forge, PA and 2022 in Hampton, VA) which not only are larger but also include a portion where everyone goes around and tells the entire group of their travel highlights for the year. When I was went in 2022 I believe there were almost 60 people in attendance. I bring this up to say that large doesn't necessarily mean getting lost in the crowd.
I look forward to seeing who will attend Cumberland (which I just finally announced for real!) this October 21st. I anticipate it being a smaller meet because of geography but maybe the bright leaves will attract additional folks!
Quote from: Laura on September 01, 2023, 03:11:00 PM
I know there's some crossover in this community with the Extra Miler Club. I've been to two of their annual meetings (2017 in Valley Forge, PA and 2022 in Hampton, VA) which not only are larger but also include a portion where everyone goes around and tells the entire group of their travel highlights for the year. When I was went in 2022 I believe there were almost 60 people in attendance. I bring this up to say that large doesn't necessarily mean getting lost in the crowd.
It sounds like the Extra Miler Club meetings may have a different format than regular road meets. Perhaps they are structured in such a way where there's a facilitated discussion in which everyone has the opportunity to share with the group some highlights and insights about their travels. Maybe everyone hears from everyone? At regular road meets on the other hand, there's often not a facilitated discussion like that. I wonder if comparing Extra Miler Club meetings to road meets is like comparing apples to oranges as far as the group discussion is concerned. Someday I'd love to attend an Extra Miler Club meeting and find out!
I will say, though... when I host my "city meet" gatherings, I do try to go around the table, have everyone introduce themselves, and share with the group what their plans are for their solo exploration around the city for the timeframe between lunch and dinner. Then, at dinner, it's nice to go around the table and share with the group how our afternoon actually went. (That's one advantage of smaller groups; these kinds of discussions are easier, and there's a greater chance that everyone will be able to contribute to the discussion.)
At my Providence meet in 2019, we all went around the room at lunch and shared what our plans were for the day. (Even though we had more than 20 people, that was easy to do because we were all in a private room separate from the rest of the restaurant.) At dinner though, that wasn't really possible because of the size of the group and how long the table was. It was impossible for folks at one end of the table to be part of any conversation with folks at the other end of the table.
At my Outer Banks meet in 2022, we had eight people at lunch and nine at dinner. I remember, for sure, going around the table at dinner... but I can't remember whether we had done that at lunch.
At Omaha in 2023, I think we had 13 for lunch and 14 for dinner. We stood around in a circle outside Runza (after lunch) and everyone shared their plans before we all went our separate ways for our individual tours. At dinner, the table was too long for us to do that.
Heh. Yep, the EMC has its Annual Meeting and it has a formal club structure with elected officers. So, yes, it's more structured than a typical road meet.
In Buffalo, Dan was able to get everyone's attention, but when introductions started, concerns about disturbing other customers in the restaurant caused them to be too quiet for everyone to hear and it just dissolved back into everyone just chatting at their tables.
All that said, there's little stopping the host from taking charge for a bit, at the meets I've attended.
Quote from: Rothman on September 01, 2023, 11:30:55 PM
All that said, there's little stopping the host from taking charge for a bit, at the meets I've attended.
Of course... the host usually needs to do that at least once during a meet. But that definitely doesn't guarantee that an organized discussion among the participants is possible.
Yeah, I think it's worth noting that the Extra Miler Club has a formal structure with dues and takes place in a private room. Both times I went were in a ballroom, so that does make it easier for one person to speak and for 60 people to listen.
I really want to make it to one of your city meets over the years, AJ, because of it being a different format from regular meets. I've also wondered if city meets would be good candidates for cities that have already had meets (giving folks the ability to choose their own adventure rather than follow a tour they did five or ten years prior?)
Quote from: Laura on September 02, 2023, 05:40:58 AM
I really want to make it to one of your city meets over the years, AJ, because of it being a different format from regular meets. I've also wondered if city meets would be good candidates for cities that have already had meets (giving folks the ability to choose their own adventure rather than follow a tour they did five or ten years prior?)
Outer Banks worked easily for me because I could make a plan. Charlotte would be the same way obviously considering how much I am into doing NC. Other city meets like Wichita may be more difficult beyond I-235.
Quote from: Laura on September 02, 2023, 05:40:58 AM
I really want to make it to one of your city meets over the years, AJ, because of it being a different format from regular meets. I've also wondered if city meets would be good candidates for cities that have already had meets (giving folks the ability to choose their own adventure rather than follow a tour they did five or ten years prior?)
Laura - I'd love to see you (and Mike/Rainee) at one of my city meets sometime! I've got a very long list of cities that I want to host these meets in, but since I typically only do one per year (I don't really want to do more than one per year - at least not anytime soon), it won't really be possible for me to get to all of them in my lifetime. But I know for sure that some of these cities are places that regular road meets have been held in before. I'm glad you like the choose-your-own-adventure idea!
Quote from: Laura on September 02, 2023, 05:40:58 AM
Yeah, I think it's worth noting that the Extra Miler Club has a formal structure with dues and takes place in a private room. Both times I went were in a ballroom, so that does make it easier for one person to speak and for 60 people to listen.
I really want to make it to one of your city meets over the years, AJ, because of it being a different format from regular meets. I've also wondered if city meets would be good candidates for cities that have already had meets (giving folks the ability to choose their own adventure rather than follow a tour they did five or ten years prior?)
EMC also benefits from a close relationship with the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA). EMC piggybacks on their convention due to the overlap in membership, which is lessening as more people join EMC (e.g., most recently due to a young TikTok-er highlighting mob-rule).
Quote from: Rothman on September 02, 2023, 09:01:28 AM
Quote from: Laura on September 02, 2023, 05:40:58 AM
Yeah, I think it's worth noting that the Extra Miler Club has a formal structure with dues and takes place in a private room. Both times I went were in a ballroom, so that does make it easier for one person to speak and for 60 people to listen.
I really want to make it to one of your city meets over the years, AJ, because of it being a different format from regular meets. I've also wondered if city meets would be good candidates for cities that have already had meets (giving folks the ability to choose their own adventure rather than follow a tour they did five or ten years prior?)
EMC also benefits from a close relationship with the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA). EMC piggybacks on their convention due to the overlap in membership, which is lessening as more people join EMC (e.g., most recently due to a young TikTok-er highlighting mob-rule).
I don't believe there has been much overlap between "our variation" of roadgeeking with other structured organizations (Lincoln Highway, Road Map collectors, Extra Miler, etc.) over the decades.
This didn't start with some Tik-Tok producer since Covid.
Quote from: Rothman on September 02, 2023, 09:01:28 AM
Quote from: Laura on September 02, 2023, 05:40:58 AM
Yeah, I think it's worth noting that the Extra Miler Club has a formal structure with dues and takes place in a private room. Both times I went were in a ballroom, so that does make it easier for one person to speak and for 60 people to listen.
I really want to make it to one of your city meets over the years, AJ, because of it being a different format from regular meets. I've also wondered if city meets would be good candidates for cities that have already had meets (giving folks the ability to choose their own adventure rather than follow a tour they did five or ten years prior?)
EMC also benefits from a close relationship with the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA). EMC piggybacks on their convention due to the overlap in membership, which is lessening as more people join EMC (e.g., most recently due to a young TikTok-er highlighting mob-rule).
Yep. I found out about EMC because I'm an ALPCA member. EMC's annual meeting is co-located with ALPCA's annual convention. I popped into their 2019 meeting at the ALPCA Knoxville convention.
I'd agree about TikTok here; at 44, I feel like I bring the average age of ALPCA members down to about 68 or so.
Quote from: Laura on September 01, 2023, 03:11:00 PM
I know there's some crossover in this community with the Extra Miler Club. I've been to two of their annual meetings (2017 in Valley Forge, PA and 2022 in Hampton, VA) which not only are larger but also include a portion where everyone goes around and tells the entire group of their travel highlights for the year. When I was went in 2022 I believe there were almost 60 people in attendance. I bring this up to say that large doesn't necessarily mean getting lost in the crowd.
Valley Forge was 2018. I know this only because that was the year I got laid off, and I found a new job about 5 minutes from the ALPCA convention. In my infinite wisdom, I went to the convention for a few hours during my lunch breaks at work and after work. I'm sorry I missed bumping into you there -- I didn't go to the EMC meeting until the next year when the convention was held in Knoxville.
As to the topic of this ... um ... topic, I've only
attended road meets, never hosted them, and I can count the number I've been to on one hand. My first one was Corridor H, which I've learned was a pretty large meet. Golden Spike, another fairly large one. Philly, again a large one. I think the smallest meet I've been to was Laura's Harford County meet earlier this year, which was the first time I carpooled.
I'm kind of what I'd call an extroverted introvert -- I like being social and making friends, though it exhausts me. I think I'd prefer smaller meets. At the lunch beforehand, I feel like there's always one side of the table I'm not getting any part of the conversation with. Carpooling was a good option; I felt like I got to know the folks in the car better than the folks I've met at meets in general.
I am terrible with matching faces to names -- it took me a few minutes to realize the driver of the car I was in at the Harford County meet was someone I'd FB-friended from a previous meet. I know a few people who are
always there at road meets. I can point out Laura/Mike/Rainee (but who in this community can't?) and CPZ, for example. A few others I'm sure have been to every meet I've been to, but I couldn't tell you who they are.
Problem is, all of my friends live inside my phone, and outside of roadgeeking, I just don't see any of you folks.
Then there's the problem of I can't seem to get my wife interested in going on road meets with me, and she's the more outgoing one of the two of us, so I think it would help me out if she came along.
Quote from: tckma on October 05, 2023, 05:41:48 PM
Then there's the problem of I can't seem to get my wife interested in going on road meets with me, and she's the more outgoing one of the two of us, so I think it would help me out if she came along.
I mean, most people don't bring their spouse or significant other to meets. Not that they're prevented from doing so (or that it's even frowned upon), it's just that most in the hobby don't have a partner who shares the interest. We're all a bit socially awkward and introverted, but we make it work. Go to meets, gets yourself involved in discussions and you'll get notoriety.
Quote from: signalman on October 06, 2023, 04:53:31 PM
Quote from: tckma on October 05, 2023, 05:41:48 PM
Then there's the problem of I can't seem to get my wife interested in going on road meets with me, and she's the more outgoing one of the two of us, so I think it would help me out if she came along.
I mean, most people don't bring their spouse or significant other to meets. Not that they're prevented from doing so (or that it's even frowned upon), it's just that most in the hobby don't have a partner who shares the interest. We're all a bit socially awkward and introverted, but we make it work. Go to meets, gets yourself involved in discussions and you'll get notoriety.
Maybe the trend of couples showing up is going upward. There have been more couples at the recent meets I've been to.
Brought my own wife to a couple and hoping that we'll make it to New Orleans.
^ As I recall, your wife joined us at Schenectady last year...
QuoteGo to meets, gets yourself involved in discussions and you'll get notoriety.
Maybe that's why no one talks to me. :-/
Most of you already know my wife Stephanie Ilyes has attended several meets with me, usually she will join us for lunch and then go off and do her own thing while we go on our tour and will meet back up with us afterwards for dinner and other after meet activities, she does like checking out different places mostly thrift stores and other retail outlets, once in a while she will come along for the tour but I can count on one hand how many times she was on the tour
Bigger is better!
I tried to encourage a big turnout at my Cincinnati meet in 2020, but only 6 people showed up. I have no idea why.
Also, anyone remember at the Madison WI meet when I almost choked on cheese bips?
^ 2020 was the peak of a plague, and looking at the meet thread there was a road meet the week before that split attendance.